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"Together, this new generation of Labour will work together to reject the pessimism of this coalition Government as we set out our vision of what Britain can achieve.

"Our values are those of the British people, and this shadow cabinet will ensure that the hopes and concerns of working families are at the heart of our offer to the country."

Eleven women will sit in the new leader’s shadow cabinet. Eight women were voted into the shadow line-up following a ballot from Labour MPs under new rules which required them to pick at least six female candidates. A further three will hold non-elected posts.

Sadiq Khan, who was Mr Miliband's campaign manager in the leadership election, is rewarded with the plum post of shadow Lord Chancellor and justice secretary.

He will also be responsible for shadowing Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg over his constitutional and political reform programme.

Douglas Alexander, who managed David Miliband's campaign, gets work and pensions, John Denham gets business, innovation and skills, and John Healey is taking on education.

Caroline Flint makes her return to the frontbench as shadow communities and local government secretary, while veteran Hilary Benn becomes shadow leader of the House.

Mary Creagh is the new shadow environment secretary, Ann McKechin is shadow Scottish secretary, while Tessa Jowell carries on as shadow Olympics minister.

Liam Byrne, the former Treasury chief secretary who famously left a note saying "There is no money left", is shadow Cabinet Office minister.

Peter Hain and Shaun Woodward, who both failed to secure election to the shadow cabinet, nevertheless carry on shadowing Wales and Northern Ireland respectively, as discretionary appointments of the leader.

Yvette Cooper comfortably received the most votes in the ballot with 232 and had been widely tipped to take the position of shadow chancellor.

Mr Balls came third in the voting rankings with 179, behind John Healey who trailed Miss Cooper by 40 votes on 192.

The record number of women in Mr Miliband’s shadow cabinet is almost triple that in David Cameron’s coalition Cabinet which has four.

Earlier, a senior MP warned that a third of the newly elected shadow cabinet would be “incapable”. Jack Straw, the former justice secretary, predicted that “half a dozen” would not be up to the task of serving in government.

He described the system under which Labour MPs elect the shadow cabinet as “daft” and “barking mad”.

A number of former Cabinet ministers, including Mr Straw and David Miliband, who was beaten to the leadership by his younger brother, did not stand.

The party’s rules mean that elections take place only in opposition, and Mr Straw predicted that, if Labour returned to power, just two-thirds of the new shadow cabinet would be appointed as secretaries of state.

He said the format was “barking mad, for arithmetical reasons as well”.

He added: “Of the 18 or 19 people in shadow cabinet, probably a dozen [are] capable of being in the Cabinet, half a dozen are not, and if and when we have a Labour government some of those who thought this is a meal ticket in to the proper Cabinet will be sorely disappointed.”

Jon Trickett, is made Mr Byrne's deputy as shadow minister of state for cabinet office, and will also attend shadow cabinet meetings.

In other appointments, Rosie Winterton is confirmed as chief whip, Baroness Royall the shadow leader of the Lords, Lord Bassam the Lords chief whip, and Baroness Scotland the shadow attorney general.